When to Harvest Carrots
Focus on variety. Early ripe carrots ripen 60–90 days after germination, and they start harvesting in July. The mid-ripening harvest will be ready in 100-130 days, that is, by the end of August – the beginning of September. And the late one is taken out of the ground after about 130-150 days – usually from the end of September.
However, these are only approximate dates, as stated by seed manufacturers. Many factors influence the ripening of root crops. For example, the weather, the amount of watering and top dressing. Therefore, the harvest can be ready for harvest earlier or later than the estimated time.
How to understand that carrots are ripe
It is enough to look at the tops. If the lower leaves begin to turn yellow and dry, then it’s time to harvest.
You can also get a couple of root crops from the ground, evaluate their size and quality. Ripe carrots along the entire length are covered with small roots.
How to harvest carrots
Check the weather forecast and plan to harvest on a dry, sunny day. If your garden bed is light and loose soil, you can pull the carrots out of the ground with your hands, holding the stems of the leaves at the base.
It is permissible and carefully to dig the soil between the rows with a garden fork or a shovel, retreating about 10 centimeters from the root crops, and then also get them by the tops.
Dug up carrots should be left in the garden for 2-3 hours so that it dries out a little. If it rains, move it under a canopy and carefully remove excess dirt from the root crops. It is convenient to do this with cotton gloves. Do not shake off the soil from the carrots, hitting it on the ground – damaged root crops will not be stored for a long time.
Also remove the tops – they evaporate moisture, which can cause the vegetables to wilt. Greens are unscrewed by hand or cut off with secateurs.
What to do with carrots after harvesting
Leave the root vegetables for a day in a dark, cool and well-ventilated area. After that, carrots can be sent for storage. About how to do everything right and prevent vegetables from withering and rotting in an apartment or cellar, read our material.